Plug and socket connector for electric circuits

ABSTRACT

A plug and socket connector for electric circuits, the connector being particularly adapted for use on motor vehicles, for connecting selected circuits of the motor vehicle into a trailing vehicle such as a caravan being towed by the motor vehicle. The plug and socket of the connector each comprise a housing having interchangeable contact support members releasably secured therein with contact pins and contact sockets in one each of the support members. The construction and arrangement of the components of the connector provides a simple and economical construction in which the principle components of the connector are moulded from a dielectric material and can be readily wired and assembled and in which when coupled, the plug and socket are protected from damage by road stones and grit.

United States Patent [191 Bryant [451 Jan. 16, 1973 1 PLUG AND SOCKETCONNECTOR FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS [75] Inventor: Stanley Bryant, New SouthWales,

Australia [73] Assignee: Bryant Manufacturing Pty. Limited,

New South Wales, Australia [22] Filed: May 4, 1971 [211 Appl. No.:140,046

[52] US. Cl. ..339/44 M, 339/65, 339/91 R [51] Int. Cl ..I-I0lr 13/44,HOlr 13/54 [58] Field of Search ..339/44, 43, 39, 75, 91, 176,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,4l7,2l3 12/1968 Bryant..339/44 M X 2,299,206 10/1942 Berg ..339/39 3,239,791 3/1966 Fyrk..339/44 M FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 1/1965 Netherlands ..339/91 R286,200 2/1967 Australia ..339/91 R Primary Examiner-Robert L. WolfeAssistant ExaminerTerrell P. Lewis Attorney-Howson and Howson [57]ABSTRACT A plug and socket connector for electric circuits, theconnector being particularly adapted for use on motor vehicles, forconnecting selected circuits of the motor vehicle into a trailingvehicle such as a caravan being towed by the motor vehicle. The plug andsocket of the connector each comprise a housing having interchangeablecontact support members releasably secured therein with contact pins andcontact sockets in one each of the support members.

The construction and arrangement of the components of the connectorprovides a simple and economical construction in which the principlecomponents of the connector are moulded from a dielectric material andcan be readily wired and assembled and in which when coupled, the plugand socket are protected from damage by road stones and grit.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJANIBIQB 3.711.813

SHEET 1 OF 2 FIG.I

PATENTEIJJM 16 I975 SHEET 2 OF 2 PLUG AND SOCKET CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRICCIRCUITS This invention relates to plug and socket connectors such asthose described in Australian Patents 286,200 and 293,152 and theinvention has been devised to provide a connector which is moreeconomical to produce than .the known connectors referred to, andincorporate safety features not hitherto present in such connectors.

The development of printed circuits and prewired pins and sockets,frequently referred to as lock-in terminals which are made fromcomparatively light gauge sheet metal as opposed to the solid pins andsubstantially heavy gauge sockets previously used, for example, in theknown connectors referred to have provided a means for reducing the costof manufacturing the connectors, but their use has created a possibilitythat the connector halves can be wrongly connected together. In thementioned Patents, one pin and its registering socket are offset fromthe remainder to ensure correct connection of the connector halves" andthis precaution is effective for the pin and socket forms of thesePatents, as the halves cannot be forced together with one half upsidedown." However, when com paratively light gauge pin and socket contacts'are used the connectors can be forced together with one half upsidedown. Also it has been found that the lid of the socket half of thementioned connectors may be damaged and maybe forced open by flying roadstones thrown up by the vehicle wheels and instances have occurred wherestones have jammed beneath the lid and held the lid open. This defeatsthe purpose of the registor incorporated in the lid of the connector ofPatent No. 293,152 when the lid should be closed, and in any case it isdesirable to protect the lid from the abrasive effect of road grit andstones.

The above shortcomings are overcome in the connector of the presentinvention and other advantages and improvements will also be set in thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment.

According to the invention, the connector is a multipin connectorcomprising a plug having contacts mounted therein in predeterminedspaced relationship from one another, and a socket having contactsmounted therein and positioned to register with the plug contactswhereby the plug and socket are coupled, characterized in that the plugand the socket each comprise housings and interchangeable contactssupport members releasably secured one in each said housing each saidsupport member having the pin or socket contacts mounted therein; eachsaid housing being open at one side to receive said support member andhaving an aperture in the opposite side forming an inlet for contactleads; each said support member having an upstanding lug or lugs formedthereon to project above halves in a position to be coupled;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the component of the sockethalf of the connector with the lid removed, the housing of this halfhaving a guide plate secured thereon as a separate component;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat similar view of FIG. 2 of the socket half, but alsoshowing the lid in open position and also showing the guide plate formedintegrally with the housing;

FIG. 4 is an inverted plan view of the housing and guide plate of FIG.2.

In the illustrated embodiment, the housing I is formed as a unitarymember from a suitable dielectric material. It is open at one side asindicated at 2 to receive a socket support member to be described andhas an aperture 3 formed through the opposite side thereof forming aninlet for contact leads 4. The aperture 3 extends through a duct 5, partof the wall of which is formed as a clamp support 6, and a clamp 7 issecured by screws 8 to the support 6 to firmly secure and support theleads 4. A flexible cap 9 mounted on the leads 4 is snapped over thewall of the duct 5 and over the clamp.

The housing 1 has catch recesses I0 formed op positely, one in each sidewall 11 thereof and also has mounting lugs 12 projected outwardly fromthe side walls 11 and downwardly and inwardly beneath the bottom wall 13to form a shoulder 14 on each side of the bottom wall 13 to support aguide plate 15 which is adapted to be snapped over the shoulders 14 andwhich projects forwardly of the housing 1. Alternatively, the guideplate 15 can be formed as an extension of the bottom wall 13, see FIG.3.

The contact support member 16 is also formed as a unitary member from asuitable dielectric material. It comprises a body 17 having contactopenings 18 formed therethrough in predetermined spaced relationship andas illustrated, seven such openings are provided the center openingbeing stepped down to be slightly out of alignment with the remainder.Mounting flanges 19 are formed one on each end of the body 17 andproject therefrom in the same direction and are substantially parallel,and protruberances 20 formed one on each flange 19 are positioned toengage as catches in the holes 10 formed in the housing 1 when themember 16 is mounted in said housing, the flanges forming guides for themember 16 in the housing 1. The body 17 also has contact isolating fins21 formed thereon between the openings 18 which project therefromsubstantially parallel to the flanges 19.

A pair of lugs 22 formed integrally with the body 17 of the supportmember and upstanding therefrom, are adapted to project above thehousing I when the support member 16 is mounted in the housing 1. Thelugs 22 on the support member 16 of the connector socket hingeablysupport a lid 23 and the lugs 22 of the support member 16 of theconnector plug function as catches for engagement by the lid 23 to holdit open when the plug and socket are coupled. The lid is biased by aspring 24 to close over the socket contacts when the plug and socket areuncoupled. The arrangement of the lugs and lid are described in ourprior Australian Patent No 286,200 and the lid has a resistor therein asdescribed in our Patent No 293,152.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the housing I can take twoforms, viz it is usable as a plug housing and a socket housing, and inthis arrangement the socket housing has the plate secured thereon.Alternatively when the housing 1 has the bottom wall 13 thereof extendedas illustrated, this forms of housing is the socket housing and aseparate housing formed without this extension is the plug housing.

The contact support member 16 is interchangeable in the housing 1 and iswired as a connector plug or a connector socket as desired. Theconnector socket has the lid 23 mounted thereon. The contact supportmember 16 in both cases is pushed into a housing 1 and the protuberancesthereon snap into the catch recesses 10, the mounting flanges 19 on themember 16 acting as guides into the housing The arrangement describedand illustrated provides a simple and economical construction for theplug and socket of a multi-pin electric connector, in which thecomponents of the connector, with the exception of the pin and socketcontacts, are moulded from a dielectric material and can be readilywired and assembled.

We claim:

I. A multi-pin connector for electric circuits, said connectorcomprising a plug having pin contacts mounted therein in predeterminedspaced relationship from one another and a socket having socket contactsmounted therein and positioned to register with the pin contacts wherebythe plug and socket are coupled, characterized in that the plug and thesocket comprise housing and interchangeable contact support members,each member releasably secured in one said housing, each said supportmember having the pin or socket contacts mounted therein; each saidhousing being open at one side to receive said support member andhavingan aperture in the opposite side forming an inlet for contactleads; each said support member having an upstanding lugor lugs formedthereon to project above the housing when the support member is insertedin the housing, the lugs on the support member of the socket having alid hinged thereon adapted to close over the socket contacts when theplug and socket are uncoupled, the lugs on the support member of theplug forming lid holding catches for engagement by the lid when the plugand socket are coupled; said socket housing having an extended bottomwall forming a guide for the plug when the plug and socket are beingcoupled, ensuring correct alignment of corresponding pin and socketcontacts, said extended wall forming a shield for the lid in its closedposition.

2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the plug housing and thesocket housing are identical and interchangeable, and wherein theextended bottom wall is formed by a separate plate secured to saidsocket housing.

3. A connector according to claim 1 wherein each said support membercomprises a body portion having openings formed therethrough in saiddesired spaced relationship and in which the contacts are mounted;mounting flanges formed one on each end of the body portion, saidmounting flanges projecting from the body portion in the same directionand being substantially parallel, protuberances formed on the mountingflanges for engagement with corresponding recesses in the housing; andcontact isolating fins formed on the body portion between the openingsand projecting from the body portion substantially parallel to theflanges, said flanges forming guides for the support member in saidhousing.

4. A connector according to claim 1 wherein the components of theconnector with the exception of the pin and socket contacts are mouldedfrom a dielectric material.

5. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said extended bottom wallcomprises an integral extension of t the bottom wall of said sockethousing.

UNITED STATES PATENT m rror CETEFECAE @F CQRREQMQ Patent No. 3,711,813 rDated January '16, 1973 Inve Stanlev Brvant It is certified that errorappears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patenterehereby corrected as shown'below:

Column 1, 10. 58; after "member" insert --is inserted in the housing,the lug or lugs on the support member".

Signed and sealed this. 29th day of May 1975.

(SEAL) Atte'st:

' EDWARD M.FLET CHE'R,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents FORM PC1-1050 uscoMM-Dc 60376-P69 9 U.$.GDVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I969 O-'355 3Sr

1. A multi-pin connector for electric circuits, said connectorcomprising a plug having pin contacts mounted therein in predeterminedspaced relationship from one another and a socket having socket contactsmounted therein and positioned to register with the pin contacts wherebythe plug and socket are coupled, characterized in that the plug and thesocket comprise housing and interchangeable contact support members,each member releasably secured in one said housing, each said supportmember having the pin or socket contacts mounted therein; each saidhousing being open at one side to receive said support member and havingan aperture in the opposite side forming an inlet for contact leads;each said support member having an upstanding lug or lugs formed thereonto project above the housing when the support member is inserted in thehousing, the lugs on the support member of the socket having a lidhinged thereon adapted to close over the socket contacts when the plugand socket are uncoupled, the lugs on the support member of the plugforming lid holding catches for engagement by the lid when the plug andsocket are coupled; said socket housing having an extended bottom wallforming a guide for the plug when the plug and socket are being coupled,ensuring correct alignment of corresponding pin and socket contacts,said extended wall forming a shield for the lid in its closed position.2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the plug housing and thesocket housing are identical and interchangeable, and wherein theextended bottom wall is formed by a separate plate secured to saidsocket housing.
 3. A connector according to claim 1 wherein each saidsupport member comprises a body portion having openings formedtherethrough in said desired spaced relationship and in which thecontacts are mounted; mounting flanges formed one on each end of thebody portion, said mounting flanges projecting from the body portion inthe same direction and being substantially parallel, protuberancesformed on the mounting flanges for engagement with correspondingrecesses in the housing; and contact isolating fins formed on the bodyportion between the openings and projecting from the body portionsubstantially parallel to the flanges, said flanges forming guides forthe support member in said housing.
 4. A connector according to claim 1wherein the components of the connector with the exception of the pinand socket contacts are moulded from a dielectric material.
 5. Aconnector according to claim 1 wherein said extended bottom wallcomprises an integral extension of the bottom wall of said sockethousing.